Broom handle brace



Nov. 23, 1965 w. v. FIELDER, JR 3,218,661

BROOM HANDLE BRACE Filed Oct. 9, 1963 INVENTOR.

WILLIAM V. FIELDER, JR.

WRNE Y;

United States Patent 3,218,661 BROOM HANDLE BRACE William V. Fielder,J12, Frederick, Md., assignor, by mesne assignments, to 0x Fibre BrushCompany, Inc., Frederick, Md., a corporation of Ohio Filed Oct. 9, 1963,Ser. No. 315,014 4 Claims. (Cl. 15-145) This invention relates broadlyto broom braces and more particularly to a brace for the handles oflonghandled brooms of the type wherein the end of the handle is securedat one end in a block of a broom.

In long-handled brooms of the type having a longitudinally extendingblock in which the broom fibers are secured and an elongated handlesecured in the block at substantially right angles thereto, andintermediate the ends of the block, by means of a screw threadedengagement or a tapered friction coupling, the broom handle has atendency to break at its point of connection With the block whensubstantial pushing force is exerted on the broom, since this isnormally the weakest point in a broom construction. This problem becomeseven more acute with brooms having brush blocks of greater lengths sincethe length of the lever arm, of forces exerted on the end of a brushblock by a load being pushed by the broom, is increased thus increasingthe moment of force about the connection point of the broom handle withthe block, thus making the handle more susceptible to breakage at thisjuncture.

In push brooms of this type the handle is usually threaded on its endand screwed into a threaded bore in the block, or the handle is taperedon the end and inserted into a tapered bore in the block. Whichevermanner is used to connect the handle to the broom block the diameter ofthe handle is decreased at its point of connection to the block, thusrendering the handle less resistive and more susceptible to breakage atthe vital con nection point. With push brooms having relatively longbroom blocks there is a tendency for the end of the handle, which isgripped by the user, to move slightly back and forth longitudinally ofthe brush block due to the forces exerted on the block, as previouslymentioned, and this has a tendency to crack and break the opposite endof the handle at its point of connection with the block.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a simpleconstruction of broom handle brace to transfer the normal breaking pointof the broom handle from a weaker to a stouter portion of the handle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction of broomhandle brace which provides lateral support for the broom handle at theconnection point with the block to thereby reduce handle breakage.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a broom brace whichis simple in construction, economical to manufacture and which can beformed from a unitary piece of sheet material.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel construction ofbroom handle brace which functions very efiiciently in reinforcing thehandle-to-block joint of a push broom.

Other and further objects of the invention reside in the manner in whichthe brace is easily connectible to a broom and the novel formation ofthe brace as set forth more fully in the specification hereinafterfollowing by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view showing the broom handle brace of theinvention secured in position on a broom;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the broom handle 3,218,661 PatentedNov. 23, 1965 brace and showing a fragmentary portion of the broom towhich it is connected;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the brace applied to a broom andshowing only a fragmentary portion of the broom handle; and

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view, looking in the direction of arrow A,in FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawing in greater detail, reference numeral 1represents the elongated handle of a push-type broom which is threadedor tapered at one end in conventional manner, as indicated at 2, andsecured into the usual thread or tapered socket 3 carried by the topsurface of an elongated broom block 4 extending laterally outwardly, asubstantial distance, on opposite sides of the broom handle 1, at itspoint of connection 2-3 with the block, such that the handle is disposedgenerally at right angles to the block in the usual manner.

The broom handle brace of the invention comprises a geometrical bodyportion formed from a unitary piece of sheet material, such as metal orthe like, and in the preferred form of the invention comprises a curvedbody portion, adapted to be disposed in surrounding relation about thelower end of the handle 1, generally in the shape of a frustum of asemi-cone, having a top edge portion 5 adapted to engage the perimeterof the handle, and a bottom terminating edge, indicated generally at 6,engaging the block 4. The curved body portion includes opposed side wallsections 7 and 8 converging longitudinally toward each other andterminating in top edge portion 5. The opposite ends of side wallsections 7 and 8, which diverge outwardly from each other from top edgeportion 5, form laterally spaced edge portions 9 and 10 on bottomterminating edge 6 for engaging the broom block 4, laterally outwardly,a substantial distance on respective opposite sides of the handle toblock connection 2-3.

The brace member also includes a curved front wall section 11 extendinglaterally between side wall sections 7 and 8, and a pair of back wallsections 12 and 13, as shown more clearly in FIGS. 2-4, connected toside wall sections 7 and 8 relatively in opposed relation to curvedfront wall section 11. Back wall sections 12 and 13 converge upwardlywith front wall section 11, in the same direction of convergence as sidewall sections 7 and 8, to top edge portion 5, but are spaced apartsubstantially throughout their lengths a lesser distance than side wallsections 7 and 8, such that the portion of bottom edge 6, bounding frontwall section 11, engages the top surface of block 4 somewhat outwardlyof the handle to block connection 23, but the distance beingsubstantially less than the distance from this connection that the edgeportions 9 and 10 engage the block surface.

The lower edges of back well sections 12 and 13 are relatively fiat incontour and are provided with extended portions forming gripping edges14, extending inwardly at acute angles to the back wall sections andengageable beneath the lower edge 15 of the block 4. The back wallsections 12 and 13 are longitudinally divided and laterally spaced fromeach other as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 with the portions 16 and 17 of backwall sections 12 and 13 adjacent the longitudinal division extendinginwardly of the brace structure and forming longitudinally extendingbracing edges 18 for engaging a longitudinal length of the periphery ofthe handle 1 extending substantially centrally through the brace, whenthe brace, is in place. A pair of lug portions 19 extend laterallyrearwardly in spaced relation from the bracing edges 18 and areconnected together with a screw and wing nut assembly 20 to form aclamping device whereby upon tightening the wing nut the lug portions 19are drawn together, drawing the top edge portion 5 into firm grippingengagement with the perimeter of broom handle 1 extending through thebrace. At the same time the gripping edges 14 are drawn into abutmentwith the lower edge 15 of the block and the bottom terminating edge 6,including the laterally spaced edge portions 9 and 10, which iscontoured generally to the top surface of the block, is drawn intoabutment with the top surface of block 4.

The top edge portion 5 of the brace is generally circular incross-section while the bottom terminating edge 6 is generallysemi-elliptical in cross-section, with the sheet material body portionof the brace extending substantially straight between the two edges. Thelaterally spaced edge portions 9 and 10 are the important sections ofthe bearing contact between the bottom terminating edge 6 and the broomblock, as these edge portions provide stability to the handle fromsidewise movement. That portion of bottom edge 6 beneath front wallsection 11, in cooperation with the gripping edges 14,

stabilizes the handle from frontward and backward movement relative tothe block. However, it has been found that the majority of handlebreakage at the connection 23 is caused by sidewise movement of thehandle and the brace will perform efiiciently as long as the laterallyspaced edge portions 9 and 10 are in abutment with the block surface,even if the front portion of the bottom edge 6 is not :in abutment withthe block surface, due to the contour of the block. It is, however,preferred that the entire bottom edge 6 be in contact with the block.When secured on a broom the bottom edge of the brace thus contacts theblock in spaced relation to the connection 23 and laterally outwardly asubstantial distance on opposite sides of the handle 1, and the top edgeencircles the perimeter of the handle in gripping engagement to thustransfer the breaking point from the threaded portion 2 of handle 1 tothe stouter part of the handle where it engages the top edge 5 of thebrace.

While the invention has been described in a certain preferred embodimentit is to be understood that modifications can be made without departingfrom the scope of the invention, particularly with regard to thespecific shape of the brace. That is, the brace can be generallyfrusto-semi-pyramidal in shape, rather than generallyfrusto-semi-conical in shape, as shown, without departing from thespirit of the invention, or the surface can be other shapes as long asone edge tightly grips the handle in spaced relation to the block andthe other edge grips the block laterally outwardly of the handleconnection with the block with a tapering surface extending between theedges. It is therefore to be understood that no limitations upon theinvention are intended other than those imposed by the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A broom handle brace of the character described comprising a unitarysemi-frusto conical body portion including a top edge, a bottomterminating edge, and four acutely sloping side walls connecting the topand bottom terminating edges and diverging downwardly from the top edge,an arcuate edge formed by the bottom terminating edge of three adjacentside walls of said four side walls adapted to engage the top of a broomblock by friction only at acute angles a substantial distance outwardlyof and about the point of connection of a handle to the broom block,clamp means carried by said unitary body portion adjacent the top edgefor drawing the top edge into surrounding gripping engagement with abroom handle, and end extensions on the fourth side wall adjacent thethree forming the arcuate edge and extending downwardly in angularrelation thereto for engaging the bottom edge of a broom block, wherebysaid arcuate edge is maintained in tight abutment with the top of abroom block by only said end extensions and said clamp means. J

2. A unitary broom handle brace comprising, a generally upwardlyconverging conical body portion adapted to be disposed about the handleof a broom terminating in a top edge portion for engaging the broomhandle, a bottom edge portion on said body portion for engaging thebroom block surface a substantial distance on opposite sides of theconnection of a handle to a broom block, angulated end portionsconnected to one side of said bottom edge portion for engaging thebottom edge of the broom block, and a portion of said body portionextending longitudinally of the broom handle intermediate said top andbottom edge portions extending inwardly of the converging conical bodyportion and adapted to engage the broom handle along a portion of thelength thereof whereby said bottom edge portion is held in tightabutment with the broom block surface by only said angulated endportions and said top edge portion.

3. A broom handle brace comprising a unitary stiff sheet material bodyportion, said body portion being divided longitudinally on one sidethereof, clamp means on the body portion for drawing the same intogripping engagement with a broom handle, said body portion havingopposed side wall sections which converge in one longitudinal directionand other side wall portions which converge in the same longitudinaldirection, said opposed side wall sections spaced apart substantiallythroughout the lengths thereof a greater distance than said other sidewall portions, said opposed side wall sections carrying laterally spacededge portions for engaging a broom block laterally outwardly asubstantial distance from its connection with the handle to stabilizethe broom handle, and end extensions on one end of one of said otherside wall portions and disposed in angular relation thereto for engagingthe bottom edge of a broom block.

4. A broom handle brace as set forth in claim 3 in which said bodyportion adjacent the longitudinal division extends laterally inwardlyfor longitudinally engaging and supporting the side of a broom handle.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,621,273 3/1927Read 30626 FOREIGN PATENTS 100,673 3/ 1937 Australia. 603,752 1/ 1926France. 790,234 9/1935 France.

22,169 1901 Great Britain. 137,946 1/1920 Great Britain. 212,140 3/ 1924Great Britain. 622,659 5/ 1949 Great Britain. 784,813 10/1957 GreatBritain.

DANIEL BLUM, Primary Examiner.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Examiner.

1. A BOTTOM HANDLE BRACE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING A UNITARY SEMI-FRUSTO CONICAL BODY PORTION INCLUDING A TOP EDGE, A BOTTOM TERMIANTING EDGE, AND FOUR ACUTELY SLOPING SIDE WALLS CONNECTING THE TOP AND BOTTOM TERMINATING EDGES AND DIVERGING DOWNWARDLY FROM THE TOP EDGE, AN ARCUATE EDGE FORMED BY THE BOTTOM TERMINATING EDGE OF THREE ADJACENT SIDE WALLS OF SAID FOUR SIDE WALLS ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE TOP OF A BROOM BLOCK BY FRICTION ONLY AT ACUTE ANGLES A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE OUTWARDLY OF AND ABOUT THE POINT OF CONNECTION OF A HANDLE TO THE BROOM BLOCK, CLAMP MEANS CARRIED BY SAID UNITARY BODY PORTION ADJACENT THE TOP EDGE FOR DRAWING THE TOP EDGE INTO SURROUNDING GRIPPING ENGAGEMENT WITH A BROOM HANDLE, AND END EXTENSIONS ON THE FOURTH SIDE WALL ADJACENT THE THREE FORMING THE ARCUATE EDGE AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY IN ANGULAR RELATION THERETO FOR ENGAGING THE BOTTOM EDGE OF A BROOM BLOCK, WHEREBY SAID ARCUATE EDGE IS MAINTAINED IN TIGHT ABUTMENT WITH THE TOP OF A BROOM BLOCK BY ONLY SAID END EXTENSIONS AND SAID CLAMP MEANS. 